Nail holding tool



United tates Patent 3,490,677 NAIL HOLDING TOOL Lazzaro Pczza, 2324 Houghton Ave., Bronx, N.Y. 10473 Filed Jan. 4, 1967, Ser. No. 607,245 Int. Cl. B25c 3/00, 9/00 U.S. Cl. 227-147 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to means for holding nails firmly in position while being driven into a workpiece and more particularly to a tool adapted to maintain the nail in position and inhibit lateral movement while the nail is being driven into the workpiece.

Heretofore, many well-known difliculties were involved in driving a nail into a workpiece. Primarily these problems were caused by the small surfaces by which the nail can be grasped whereby no purchase can be obtained thereon. As a consequence, the nails were inadvertently moved in a lateral direction while being inserted resulting in many disadvantages such as failure to properly join the materials, unsightly appearance and physical injury to the user.

Various proposals have been heretofore made to overcome these problems. One substantially advantageous proposal provided a combined nail holder and punch in which a spring urged a sleeve on the punch or handle to rotate to thereby grip the head end portion of a nail in a groove or notch. While this means was quite effective, the necessity for using a spring detracted from the longevity of the device. Furthermore, under certain conditions, inadvertent movement of the spring would cause the release of the nail from its proper position and nails of all sizes could not be accommodated by the same device.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a nail holding tool which prevents inadvertent lateral movement of the nail during insertion.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a nail holding tool so constructed as to enable the i user to obtain a injury.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a nail holding tool which exercises a positive locking action on the nail to prevent any movement of the nail during the insertion thereof into the workpiece.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of a nail holding tool which will hold nails of all sizes in locked position in only one location in the tool.

Still another feature of the present invention is the provision of a nail holding tool which is simple in design and in which nails may be easily inserted and removed while, nevertheless, providing effective grippng action.

Still another and further feature of the present invention is the provision of a nail holding tool embodying only manual movable parts which is simple to construct and economical to manufacture.

Still another feature of the present invention is the provision of a nail holding tool which may be utilized as a holder for the nails during the time when the nail is being initially driven into the workpiece and thereafter to purchase thereon without risk of physical 3,4%,677 Patented Jan. 20, 1970 easily release the nail and function itself as a punch to complete the insertion of the nail into the workpiece.

Other features and advantages of the invention are shown and described in greater detail in the followmg specification taken in conjunction with the drawlngs 1n which:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of the nail holdlng tool of the present invention with a nail held in position to be driven into a workpiece.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the nail holding tool with a nail held in position to be driven.

FIG. 3 is a front view, taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the nail holding tool of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view with a section partially broken away of the nail holding tool with the nail holding means in released position.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation partial view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

It has now been found that the foregoing objects and other advantages can be attained in a nail holding tool providing a handle or member, which also acts as a punch, having slot means adjacent one end portion for receiving the head of a nail. A notch is provided in the same end portion of the member that communicates With the slot means for receiving the shank of the nail. Clamping means is mounted on the member and is movable into the slot means to engage the shank of the nail in order to lock the nail in the driving position. In addition, operating means are provided movably mounted on the member for positioning the clamping means into the locked and unlocked position and for securely holding the clamping means in engagement with the nail in the locked position.

The slot means may have a single slot for receiving the head of the nail of the clamping means or it may have two slots, one for receiving the head of the nail and the other for receiving the clamping means. An intermediate wall may be provided between the two slots which has a notch portion aligned and cooperating with the notch in the member for receiving the shank of the nail.

Desirably, the clamping means also has a notch portion in the substantial alignment with the notch and the member for engaging the shank of the nail. The clamping means in the disclosed embodiment has an arm disposed in a longitudinal groove in the handle or member to prevent transverse movement of the arm which is bent to form a pivot point for pivoting the arm on the member when engaged by the Operating means. The arm may have a lock portion disposed in a recess in the handle or member to prevent longitudinal movement of the arm relative to the member.

The Operating means may have a sleeve slidable on the handle or member which is engageable with the clamping means to impart movement thereto and adapted so that the sleeve is engagable with the arm on opposite sides of the pivot point.

The handle or member is adapted so that the end portion opposite to the end having the slot may be hit with a hammer so that the handle or member also acts as a punch for driving the nail held at its opposite end.

The particular embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawing for illustrative purposes, shows a nail holder comprising an elongate member or shaft 10. A sleeve 11 is disposed on said shaft and is longitudinally slidable therealong. The shaft is provided with a stop pin 12 to limit one direction of movement of the sleeve 11. A transverse stepped notch 13 is located between the ends of the shaft and is operativetly disposed beneath the sleeve 11. The shaft is also provided with a longitudinally ex- 3 tendng groove 14 extending from the central portion substantially to one end of the shaft. The sleeve is adapted to slide over the grooved portion for the purposes hereinafter set forth.

The shaft has an enlarge-d head portion 15 which is provided with two transverse slots 16 and 17. The slots 16 and 17 are separated by an intermediate wall 18 which has a V-shaped notch 19. The front wall 20 of the enlarged head portion 15 also has a V-s'haped notch 21 substantially in alignment with and of approximately the same dimensions as the V-shaped notch 19.

In accordance with the present invention, the nail holding means include a pressure arm 22 whose body portion 23 is adapted to be mounted substantially within the longitudinal groove 14 as shown in FIG. 2 when the tool is in nail holding position. One end of the pressure arm is shaped in the form of a T-shaped lug 24 which is located in the stepped slot or recess 13 located in the shaft 10 of the nail holder as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4. Adjacent to the T-shaped lug 24, the base of the body 23 of the pressure arm is bent to provide a fulcrum or pivot point 25. A clamp 26 is disposed at the other end of the pressure arm 22. The clamp illustrated for exemplary purposes is of generally U-shaped configuration and its downwardly extending flange portion 27 has an inverted V-shaped notch 28 'which is in cooperative engaging relation with the V-shaped notches 19 and 21 in the Walls 18 and 20 of the shaft. The clamp 26 of the pressure arm 22 is constructed in such manner that it can move freely in and out of the transverse slot 17.

The head portion 15 of the nail holder holds the nail 29 and locks it into position for driving Operations. As illustrated, the shank 30 of the nail is disposed within and carried by the notches 19 and 21 located in the wall 18 and forward wall portion 20 respectively. The head 31 of the nail is disposed within the transverse slot 1'6. As shown in FIG. 1, the bases of the notches 19 and 21 are disposed above the center line of the nail holder shaft 10 and above the base of the groove 16 so as to permit the head 31 of the nail to rest in the slot 16 without engagng the bottom of this slot. When the nail is first placed in the nail holder, preparatory to the driving Operations, the pressure arm is disposed as shown in FIG. 6, that is, with the clamp 26 completely out of engagement with all parts of the enlarged head portion 15 of the shaft. In this position the body portion 23 of the pressure arm 22 is substantially outside of the groove 14 in the shaft 10. This release position is accomplished by moving the sleeve 11 longitudinally along the shaft toward the pin 12. This movement causes the forward portion 32 of the sleeve to be released from its frictional engagement With the upper surface of the body 23 of the pressure arm 22 and to ride over the T-shaped stud 24. The T-shaped stud 24 is depressed into the transverse groove 13 in the shaft Whereupon the body 23 and clamp 26 of the pressure arm moves upward, pivoting as illustrated around the fulcrum or pivot point 25, into the position shown in FIG. 6 wherein the clamp 26 of the arm 22 is disengaged from the head 15 of the shaft 10. Further rearward movement of the sleeve 11 is prevented by the engagement of the rear end of the sleeve 33 with the pin 12. The nail 29 may then 'be easily placed into position with the head 31 extending into the slot 16 and the shank 30 resting in the bases of the notches 19 and 21.

To lock the nail in driving position with the use of the tool of the present invention, it is merely necessary to move the sleeve 11 along the shaft toward the enlarged head 15. The end 32 of the sleeve is then released from its engagement with the top of the T-shaped lug 24 and engages the upper part of the body portion 23 of the pressure arm 22, causing it to move into the longitudinal groove 14 to the position illustrated in FIG. 2. The clamp 26 of the pressure iarm is also moved downwardly, carrying the flange 27 into the groove 17. The inverted V- shaped notch 28 in the fiange 27 engages the shank 30 of the nail and the nail is then locked securely between the pressure arm and the enlarged head of the shaft in the notches 19, 21 and 28'.

Using the tool of the present invention, the nail may be simply inserted and easily locked in position in a viselike immovable grip. The nail is maintained in this position by positive mechanical action 'without the use of any intermediate parts which rnay interfere with the longevity of the device while nevertheless the device maintains the nail securely against any inadvertent movement in a lateral direction.

It may be readily seen from FIG. 2 that as the sleeve 11 slides along the pressure arm 22 towards the enlarged head 15 of the nail holder, the pressure exerted on the nail increases. This structural arrangement is distinctly advantageous and provides for greater dependability and fiexibility in use over the nail holders heretofore provided.

FIG. 7 shows another structural embodiment of the concept of the present invention` As illustrated the nail holder holding tool comprises a shaft 40. A pressure arm 41 and sleeve 42 are mounted on the shaft in the same manner as heretofo're described in connection with similar members shown in FIGS 1 through 6. The enlarged head 43 of the shaft 40 in the embodiment of the invention of FIG. 7 is provided with a single transverse slot 44, formed between the wall 45 and the rear of the head 43. The wall 45 is provided with a V-shaped notch 46. A clamp 47 at one end of the pressure arm 41 is movable into and out of the transverse slot 44 to grip and release a nail 48 whose shank hea-d 49 is resting in the V-shaped slot 46. The remaining parts of the nail holding tool which are similar to the parts in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6 have the same reference numerals. As shown, when the nail 48 is to be driven into the workpiece, its head rests in the base of this slot and the shank is locked between the clamp 47 and the notch 46 whereby the nail is held in position in an effective and laterally immovable manner.

The nail holding tool of any embodiment of the invention with the nail locked therein may be firmly grasped by the user anywhere along the elongate member or shaft. The large surface which is available accommodates the entire hand of the user whereby inadvertent lateral movement of the nail is inhibited. The end of the shaft may then be struck by a hammer or similar tool until the nail is inserted deeply into the workpiece. Thereafter the tool can be readily removed from the nail by simply moving the sleeve away from the head of the shaft and in the direction of the pin whereupon the pressure arm will pivot into release position. The nail may then be driven entirely into the workpiece by the hammer or by the flat end of the punch itself.

The present invention therefore provides a nail holding tool which efectively and easily locks the nail in a vise-like grip against inadvertent movement by simple mechanical means. The tool because of its construction eliminates any danger of physical injury to the user while the nail is being hammered into the workpiece. The nail holding tool is also readily releasable from the nail when desired and no great skill is required for the manipulation of the simple yet eflicient device presented by this invention.

While the invention has been described in some detail in connection with the specific form illustrated, it will be understood that the description is in no way intended to be a limitation upon the scope of the invention and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, I clairn:

1. A nail holding tool comprising a punch in the form of an elongated shaft, a sleeve disposed on said shaft and longitudinally slidable therealong, said shaft having a stop member to limit the movement of said sleeve in one direction, a longitudinal groove in said shaft extending from the central portion substantially to one end of said shaft, a transverse notch in said shaft generally at the end of said groove, a pressure arm having a body portion adapted to be disposed substantially within said groove when the tool is in a nail holding position, said pressure arm having a lug adjacent one end thereof movable into said notch, said body portion of said pressure arm being bent to provide a pivot point engageable with said shaft at a point spaced from said lug, said shaft having an elongated head portion provided With two transverse slots, said head portion having a larger diameter than the interior diameter of said sleeve, said slots being separated by an intermediate wall, the front Wall of said head portion and said intermediate Wall having V-shaped notches in substantial alignrnent, said pressure arm having a clamp disposed at the end thereof of a generally U-shaped configuration with a downwardly extending flange portion having an inverted V-shaped notch in cooperative relationship With said V-shaped notches of said front and intermediate walls, said clamp being adapted to be moved in and out of said slot between said front wall and said intermediate Wall, said sleeve being movable from said stop along said shaft toward the head portion of said shaft and frictionally engageable With the upper surface of said body portion of said pressure arm for movement over said lug to move said lug into said 2 notch and to move said body portion of said pressure arm into said groove and said clamp into said slot between said front wall and said intermediate wall for gripping a nail, said lug being T-shaped and adapted to fit into said transverse notch to prevent longitudinal movements of said pressure arm on said shaft.

2. The nail holding tool of claim 1 wherein said groove extends on said shaft to said head portion of said shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 612,833 10/1898 Dexter -46 X 682,681 9/1901 Haas 145-46 2,435,142 1/1948 Kovacs 227-149 2,786,202 3/1957 Gaulke 227-147 3,228,269 1/1966 Heyer 145-46 X 2,737,657 3/1956 Miller 269-239 2,983,036 5/1961 Guard 269-6 X FOREIGN PATENTS 608,952 11/1960 Canada.

WAYNE A. MoRsE, JR., Primary Examinr U.S. Cl. X.R. 

